While surgical meshes can help reduce time on the operating table and speed up the recovery process, they can also cause severe side effects. Ethicon and Johnson & Johnson’s Physiomesh is an abdominal mesh that was recalled when research found it had a high rate of complications and corrective surgeries. If you or a loved one has had a Physiomesh implant, it’s important to know what these side effects are in case of an infection. Here’s what they are and what you can do about them.
What are the Symptoms You Need to Watch Out For?
At the time of writing, there are 677 Physiomesh cases filed in federal courts across the nation. People have been complaining that the mesh product has caused them constant pain and caused their quality of life, financial situation, and relationships to deteriorate over the years. That’s why it’s important that you keep an eye out of particular symptoms in case they develop into something worse.
Chronic Pain
Experiencing some degree of pain or discomfort after surgery is normal, but what’s not normal is if it persists long after the surgery or if it feels more tender or painful than it should. For example, it’s not normal if the pain stops you from carrying out simple everyday tasks such as walking.
This could be a sign of more serious underlying causes such as:
- The mesh might have become stuck to your organs (mesh adhesion) which can cause that organ to twist abnormally, causing blockages and intense pain.
- The mesh might have eroded through the organ’s walls, which can lead to leakage, organ perforation, and intense pain.
- The mesh might have migrated to a part of the body that it shouldn’t, which can cause painful mesh adhesion, erosion, and infection.
Wound Isn’t Healing as it Should
After surgery, you shouldn’t expect your body to heal straight away. While it varies from person to person, most patients can typically return to work a week after the surgery but should avoid strenuous activity and heavy lifting for four to six weeks. In addition, doctors advise that it’s not uncommon to experience occasional tugging, pulling and burning sensations in the operative area for up to a year after the surgery.
What isn’t normal, however, is if your wound is taking an abnormally long time to heal or looks as though it’s infected. This can be a result of a hernia mesh infection. Pay attention to how your wound is healing as it’s a clear indicator of how the healing process is going and if something feels off, consult a medical professional immediately.
Flu-Like Symptoms
It’s normal to feel a little under the weather after surgery. However, if you’re feeling particularly unwell for an extended period of time or experience flu-like symptoms such as chills, fever, nausea or even vomiting, it could be a sign of something more serious.
For example:
- Your body may be rejecting the mesh.
- The mesh may have migrated to somewhere it shouldn’t.
- You might be suffering from a hernia mesh infection and your body is attempting to fight it, which is what is causing the flu-like symptoms.
Wound is Inflamed or Hotter Than Normal to Touch
Although surgical meshes are designed to be implanted inside the body, your body will still recognize it as a foreign substance and react to it in the same way as it would to viruses and bacteria. This may cause the area around the mesh to become inflamed and warmer than normal to touch.
However, if it stays inflamed for an extended period of time or feels unusually warm, consults medical advice as soon as possible as it may be a result of something more serious, such as a hernia mesh infection.
I’m Experiencing These Symptoms. What Do I Do Next?
If you’re suffering from these symptoms and consequent complications, it may be time to consider a lawsuit. But before you do, make sure that you’re eligible to make a claim. There are certain criteria in place for which cases are eligible and those that don’t meet them may not make it to court.
Be aware that at the moment, lawsuits are only being made against some hernia mesh manufacturers:
- Physiomesh by Ethicon
- C-QUR by Atrium
Contact your surgeon or hospital to find out which mesh has been used for your hernia repair.
In January 2018, the Ethicon Physiomesh hernia mesh bellwether trials began and there will be various arguments posed from both sides regarding the safety and defective design of the product. That’s why you need to be certain that your complications are a result of Physiomesh and keep a note of how much damage your mesh has caused, both physically and financially. That will help your lawyer calculate how much compensation you are eligible to claim.
The fastest way to find out if you’re eligible to claim compensation is to speak to an experienced attorney. At Coxwell & Associates, we offer free hernia mesh consultations.
Want More Information on Hernia Mesh?
If you or a loved one has been suffering as a result of a defective hernia mesh, there’s so much more information you need to know. Visit our one-stop resource page for all of the facts you might want to know about hernia mesh, from its history and development to its proposed benefits, complications, and what to do if you’re considering a lawsuit.
Disclaimer: This blog is intended as general information purposes only, and is not a substitute for legal advice. Anyone with a legal problem should consult a lawyer immediately.